--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to be very authentic when I…" description: "\"I want to be very authentic when I perform, because I feel like I owe that to people listening. You can't go through the motions on music like this. Yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/william-fitzsimmons-33951_care_i-want-to-be-very-authentic-when-i-perfo_1762611.jpg" --- # I want to be very authentic when I perform, because I feel… ![“I want to be very authentic when I perform, because I feel like I owe that to people listening. You can't go through the motions on music like this. You are making people feel a certain way, that you are not feeling yourself. It's like saying "I want you guys to cry, but I don't really care,"…” quote by William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/william-fitzsimmons-33951_care_i-want-to-be-very-authentic-when-i-perfo_1762611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/william-fitzsimmons-33951_care_i-want-to-be-very-authentic-when-i-perfo_1762611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/william-fitzsimmons-33951_care_i-want-to-be-very-authentic-when-i-perfo_1762611.jpg) > “I want to be very authentic when I perform, because I feel like I owe that to people listening. You can't go through the motions on music like this. You are making people feel a certain way, that you are not feeling yourself. It's like saying "I want you guys to cry, but I don't really care," which isn't right.” [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authenticity in performance means fully feeling and sharing the emotions you intend to convey, rather than faking them for the audience. **In simple terms:** Be genuine when creating music. Key Takeaway Prioritize true feeling over showmanship. Themes authenticity artistry empathy Mood reflective introspective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - live concerts - studio recordings - songwriting workshops - personal practice Key Concepts emotional honesty performance integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does your own emotional state shape your art? - What risks arise when you hide behind a persona? A Different Perspective Audiences may misinterpret sincerity, leading to unintended emotional impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Feeling Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-yourself/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Whether it's five people or 50,000 people, I always love to perform and feel very blessed that I'm able to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgrath/whether-it-s-five-people-or-50-000-people-i-always-love-to-perform/) [Mark McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgrath/) > [People know who you are when you've never met them. For them, through interviews and seeing you perform, they feel like they know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/people-know-who-you-are-when-you-ve-never-met-them-for-them-through/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) > [I would be doomed if I didn't invent humor in my life. When I was young, I had all these punk and performance-art bands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/i-would-be-doomed-if-i-didn-t-invent-humor-in-my-life-when-i-was/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [I want to be myself. I want to be as authentic as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-want-to-be-myself-i-want-to-be-as-authentic-as-possible/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [No one wants critical, 'You can't do this or that' religion. People want authentic love, and that's what we are displaying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-welch/no-one-wants-critical-you-can-t-do-this-or-that-religion-people-want/) [Brian Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-welch/) > [I think everything happens as it's supposed to. I don't want to force anything. I want it to be so authentic that it's seamless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/i-think-everything-happens-as-it-s-supposed-to-i-don-t-want-to-force/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [After six or seven performances of any song, you begin to perform it rather than feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/after-six-or-seven-performances-of-any-song-you-begin-to-perform-it/) [Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/) > [Maybe there is something to having your back up against the wall and having to perform. I feel like it kind of gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/maybe-there-is-something-to-having-your-back-up-against-the-wall-and/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [People want to see something authentic. If it's too polished and highly produced, people might not trust it as much. If it's grainy, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/people-want-to-see-something-authentic-if-it-s-too-polished-and/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [That's what self-discovery seems to mean to most people. You're going to beat yourself up. You're going to reduce what you're supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/that-s-what-self-discovery-seems-to-mean-to-most-people-you-re-going/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Anyone who really loves you wants you to be authentic. And anyone who doesn't want you to be authentic doesn't really love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/anyone-who-really-loves-you-wants-you-to-be-authentic-and-anyone-who/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [I want to be the best. I don't know by what standard you measure being the best, but I want to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-bauer/i-want-to-be-the-best-i-don-t-know-by-what-standard-you-measure-being/) [Trevor Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-bauer/) > [As a performer, the thing you want the most is to be your authentic self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-orji/as-a-performer-the-thing-you-want-the-most-is-to-be-your-authentic/) [Yvonne Orji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-orji/) > [People around the world, they want the authentic Starbucks experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/people-around-the-world-they-want-the-authentic-starbucks-experience/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [The secret is to nip any mental disorder in the bud. As soon as you're not feeling yourself, reach out and get some help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-trudeau/the-secret-is-to-nip-any-mental-disorder-in-the-bud-as-soon-as-you-re/) [Margaret Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-trudeau/) ## More by William Fitzsimmons > [If I am feeling musical and I pick up the guitar, usually something will eventually come out and I'll see where it goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/if-i-am-feeling-musical-and-i-pick-up-the-guitar-usually-something/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [The advice is, go slow and take your time with it. That works to my benefit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/the-advice-is-go-slow-and-take-your-time-with-it-that-works-to-my/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [Music is generally important to blind people, and most of the blind people that I have come into contact, through my parents, music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/music-is-generally-important-to-blind-people-and-most-of-the-blind/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [I was trained professionally to connect with people as a therapist. That's job number one, having a empathetic regard towards someone who is sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/i-was-trained-professionally-to-connect-with-people-as-a-therapist/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [If it is a good song, it is a good song. The Beatles were pop, the beach boys were pop and it's the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/if-it-is-a-good-song-it-is-a-good-song-the-beatles-were-pop-the-beach/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [I'm not Metallica, you can tell that I'm really not that angry in most of my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/i-m-not-metallica-you-can-tell-that-i-m-really-not-that-angry-in-most/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [I am definitely not listening to anything remotely close to my music, at least not on a nice day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/i-am-definitely-not-listening-to-anything-remotely-close-to-my-music/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [I am saying what comes out, because I'm really not a methodical writer. I'm not a good building writer, where you are like "well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/i-am-saying-what-comes-out-because-i-m-really-not-a-methodical-writer/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [That old adage, that "music is a universal language", is really true. Even if all of the lyrics are understood, they seem to connect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/that-old-adage-that-music-is-a-universal-language-is-really-true-even/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [Music is generally important to blind people, and most of the blind people that I have come into contact, through my parents, music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/music-is-generally-important-to-blind-people-and-most-of-the-blind-2/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [The old adage, that "music is a universal language", is really true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/the-old-adage-that-music-is-a-universal-language-is-really-true/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [The first time I ever found Paste I thought somebody just might have finally made a magazine using only the contents of my brain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/the-first-time-i-ever-found-paste-i-thought-somebody-just-might-have/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [Therapy really did prepare me to become an empathic songwriter. As far as advice goes, it's a matter of self understanding first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/therapy-really-did-prepare-me-to-become-an-empathic-songwriter-as-far/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) [Explore all 14 William Fitzsimmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) ## More Authentic quotes > [“RIGHT Do you do what feels right or what is seen right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/right-do-you-do-what-feels-right-or-what-is-seen-right/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [When somebody comes across as authentic and genuine and sweet, people just want to spend time with that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/when-somebody-comes-across-as-authentic-and-genuine-and-sweet-people/) [Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/) > [Anything that I ever do is from the heart and authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-carlisle/anything-that-i-ever-do-is-from-the-heart-and-authentic/) [Belinda Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-carlisle/) > [Being authentic can be a good thing in that often people who are fixated on that are also fixated on having very high standards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-meyer/being-authentic-can-be-a-good-thing-in-that-often-people-who-are/) [Edgar Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-meyer/) > [“REMEMBER Do you live your life according to how you want to remember it or how you will be remembered?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/remember-do-you-live-your-life-according-to-how-you-want-to-remember/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [I've put my days of fantasy behind me and make authentic realistic films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/i-ve-put-my-days-of-fantasy-behind-me-and-make-authentic-realistic/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [I think as long as you're authentic, people will relate to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/i-think-as-long-as-you-re-authentic-people-will-relate-to-that/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) > [I had always wanted to expand to beauty, but I knew I wanted to be able to translate my design aesthetic in an authentic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ronson/i-had-always-wanted-to-expand-to-beauty-but-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be/) [Charlotte Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ronson/) > [“But now? Being a sellout is the authentic thing. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-now-being-a-sellout-is-the-authentic-thing-when/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“The biggest mistake people make when trying to be authentic is just that: they try. They see these role models of what an "authentic"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-when-trying-to-be-authentic-is-just/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“Some days I like to wander to old and warn our places, forests ripped apart by man and streams that carry stagnant water where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/some-days-i-like-to-wander-to-old-and-warn-our-places-forests-ripped/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [Christie led the way - with a bulldozer. The governor is blunt, brash, and self-consciously authentic, the antithesis to what turns off today's voters:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/christie-led-the-way-with-a-bulldozer-the-governor-is-blunt-brash-and/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [“Show up authentically and synergy will meet you there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/show-up-authentically-and-synergy-will-meet-you-there/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Disturb reality, defy gravity, be authentic and above all... be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-gonzalez/disturb-reality-defy-gravity-be-authentic-and-above-all-be-happy/) [Joaquin Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-gonzalez/) > [We have to express ourselves in the most true and authentic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-lee-yang/we-have-to-express-ourselves-in-the-most-true-and-authentic-way/) [Eugene Lee Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-lee-yang/) [Browse all 784 Authentic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to be very authentic when I perform, because I feel like I owe that to people listening. 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